Edwin bell



.vm/e, @./fffg ZW] PATENTE-D A d@ JAN21I868 I 1 n L. 7-356 6 h 0ifi-@Wwf @My i @jilttrh 'tatrs atrnt @frn EDWIN BELL, OF ST; PAUL,MINNESOTA.

Letters- Patent No. 73,566, dated January 21, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT 1N corren-Dans.-

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Be it known that I, EDWIN BELL, of St. Paul, in the county-ot` Ramsey,and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Geiler-Dams; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, making 'part` of this specification, and tothe letters of reference markedv thereon, like letters indicating likeparts wherever they occur. i

To enableothers skilled in the art to construct and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe it.

My invention consists in making a new and improved iloatingcoffer-dam,forremoving the water, so that snags, wrecks, dirt, or rocks may heconveniently removed from the bottoms of rivers Aor harbors, or so thatwalls or piers may be conveniently huilt'or rocks blasted. In the"drawings- Figure 1 represents a top plan view, and

Figure 2 represents a vertical section on the lines :c :v and my of tig.1.

In constructing my coder-dam, I make a strong barge, A, of anydesiredsize,rliavng two water-tight com partments, B B, one on each side of thebarge. Between these compartments B B, I leave a largeopeniug, C, Ywhich I surround with, two frames, D E. These frames D E, I connect attheir sides with one another,and also with the water-tight compartments,and at their ends w-ith the main frame of the barge, placing them ateashort' distance from each other, and over the opening C in the centre.Each of the frames consists of two parallel pieces of timber, placedfarenough apart toallow boards or plank to be passed between them, asshown in Afig. 1. In the opening between the frames D and at its lowerside, and around its whole extent, I place a bag or sack, F, made ofIndia rubber, India-rubber cloth, or' any {lexible water-tight material,having a strong, wide bottom, and an extension-apromG, ofisimilarmaterial, at the top, and long enough to reach and stretch over theframes D E, or, at least, above the water-line. In the bag F, I placeshort, flat pieces of iron, c, as shown in fig. 2, whehare attached'to aline running through it, `so as to bevmoved. These ilat pieces of ironserve to hold the bag Il' close to the ground.

My barge is so/constructed that one end of the coffer-dam may be openedby turning onthe hinge a, and, when closed, is fastened by the -hook 6,'as shown in fig. 1. The water-tight compartments I provide with holesand plugs, so that, at any time, by removing the plugs, the whole bargemay be readily and easily sunk.

In operating my movable co'er-dan1, after moving it to the place whereit is to be used, I pull the plugs out of the water-tight compartments BB, and sink the whole barge. Then I drive boardsc through .the openingsin each ofthe frames DE, and down into therground, as shown in figs. 1and 2. I use boards of diiIerent widths, if necessary, so as to adjustthem to the lay and character of the ground, and also in case of theircoming in contact with rocks of uneven surface, that they may be made tofit them the more closely. After driving down vthese two tiers of boardsc through the frames D E, I pass the bagpr sack F around between them,sinking it, by meansl of the flat pieces ofiron o, iig. 2, and holdingitt-hen by means of long strips of boards, which are keyed downagainstit. I then draw up the aprons G, which are attached to the bag F,and fasten them up above the water-line. This done,'I fill the bag Fwith air orwater, when it serves to maken Water-tight packing along thelower sides`oi the boards c, and, in connection with the apron G and theboards c, n either side, makes a water-tight wall. I then pump the wateroutot` the opening or coller-dam C, as well as out of the space betweentbe two tiers ot' boards c, by steam or other power, which leaves thebottom'within the Colfer-dam exposed for such operations as may bedesired.

Instead of using a pump, thewater may be drawn out ofthe coder dam bymeans of a screw, cl, shaped like a propeller, and turning in a tubeorproper opening in the side ofthe dam, and worked by a pitman connectingit with the engine.' In the use of a large coiIer-dnm, two or more suchscrews may be used, or, whena small one is employed, the water may beremoved by the use of the .Archimedes screw.

Whenever it is desired to move the Colfer-dam, I insert the plugs in thewater-tight compartments, then pull up tbe boards L', raise and empty,if necessary, the bag F, and pump the water out of the water=tightcompartments B B. This done, the whole is ready to befloated to suchother place as may be desired.

In streamsor' rivers where the current is strong and rapid, other bargesmay be attached to the movable coller-dam, in order to anchor it or boldit more steadily in place.'

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combinetionwith e floating coger-dam, construeted substantially as described, theflexible bag, sack, or pipe F, for packing the same, and excluding thewater.

2. I claim, also, the use of an apron, of rubber cloth, canvas, or otheriexible material, made water-proof, for packing the joints between thetiers of planksforming' the inner wallsof the dem, substantially asdescribed.

EDWIN BELL.

Witnesses:

E. M. DEANE, S. S.`MURDOCK.

